Rat Fink

[WHX?? 48,813]

Just got my FAVORITE rag in the mail today, LGAT and just thumbing thru the pages to get to  coverage and I find this. Our very own @Achto's rat rod!

We hauled this thing out to the BS last June and well trained eyes in the form of Matt @grnlark Castagno spotted it as a center piece for a such a well written article. Dan says a big THANKS Matt! 

This tractor is always a show must have for Dan and gets looks....alot of looks. Too many as it would seem as youngsters want to play on it and pick the moss off much as Gretzki (his wife as I call her) would have done..oh no no no... patina. 

  I remember one lad proclaiming at one show "daddy this tractor has grass growing on it, we need to mow it!" I think it was at Symco Dan I CRS but 'bout died laughing. Had another looking at it once and said why don't you sand...I stopped him short and threatened bodily harm.

 

Since Dan is considered a regular at most of the shows we attend the Rat Rod is quite well known local and he, and I the few times I have run it, often get the flip up hand signal meaning do a wheelie. Unbelievable how people just love that! 

 

Now I had known about the Rat Fink caricatures for many years but never knew about the Ed "Big Daddy" Roth's creation of such a character that  provided such a good humor to many sports & hobbies and it will be always a big part of Americana history. Thank you Matt for that tidbit of info.

Many more pics and input to follow.....

[Pullstart 62,831]

Congrats @Achto Dan!

[roadapples 6,983]

Agree, nice Dan. I left my subscription run out about a year ago because wheel horse was seldom seen...

[PeacemakerJack 10,738]

A well deserved article for such a legendary machine!  Congrats Dan  It always gets me how the tractor that you probably put the least amount of actual work into is the one that generally gets the most attention.  It is a super fun machine that brings together the tractor culture and the hot rod auto culture and I believe that is one of the key reasons that sooooo many people like it.

[953 nut 55,157]

Love that Rat Rod for sure!    Well deserving of coverage. 

Ed Roth would have appreciated it too I'm sure, Loved the cartoons and his car creations as I became a certified Motor Head! He has been gone since 2001, but certainly not forgotten.  RIP Ed!

 

Edited November 6, 2018 by 953 nut

[19richie66 17,500]

Congratulations Dan @Achto that is well deserved. Perfect example of “the rat” 👍

[WHX?? 48,813]

16 hours ago, roadapples said:

Agree, nice Dan. I left my subscription run out about a year ago because wheel horse was seldom seen...

 

Lately about every issue Jay has something  in it. Not sure but I think Matt has been given a couple of pages an issue for us  "Horse Barn"  folks thanks to our friends @  http://www.lagtmag.com/

 

Some of you may have seen this already but one of the guys in our bunch of tractor show campers had tees and can koozies made up with this on it. Pretty neat when we all get together for potluck suppers and everyone is sporting one!

 

 

Edited November 6, 2018 by WHX21
Speelimg

[Lane Ranger 10,968]

 

 

Glad to see Matt C's article on your Rat Rod Dan in the latest issue of the Lawn and Garden Tractor magazine!     Good pics!

 

[stevasaurus 22,713]

Congratulations Dan.  Outstanding.!!!  

[squonk 41,051]

Love me some Rat Fink and I wore my shirt proudly at the Steam Pageant.  Dan's tractor was parked next to my spot on "Squonk's Corner" and made things rather busy! Wish I still had my Rat Fink models.

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

A couple more...

[oliver2-44 9,725]

Congratulations @Achto 

 

Hmmm,  seeing as how I really do find myself "Mowing at Dark" quite often, is there a possibility of establishing a Texas Tractor Mafia chapter. I realize I've got some practice to do on my disassembly and truck loading skills, but if I make it to the BS on 4 wheels this year it ain't gonna be pretty 

[wallfish 16,994]

Congrats Dan!

Just got my mag today and noticed it right away

 

10 hours ago, WHX21 said:

21 hours ago, roadapples said:

Agree, nice Dan. I left my subscription run out about a year ago because wheel horse was seldom seen...

 

Lately about every issue Jay has something  in it. Not sure but I think Matt has been given a couple of pages an issue for us  "Horse Barn" 

Matt is doing the "Horse Barn" Wheel Horse article for every issue now so interested RS members should subscribe

[Achto 27,562]

Thanks for the congrats & comments every one. Truth be told I find it quite on honor to have an article written on my rusty old hot rod. I think Matt did an awesome job with the pics & the write up. A big thanks to him.

[WHX?? 48,813]

You mow at night you might be a good prospect for that TX chapter Ollie... practice on dismantling the wife's car and a crash course from pullstart on loading techniques and ya might earn yer colors! 

OK nuff ....some more pics of the honoree...

 

 

Hook em up! Gettin a little squirrely .... this thing does it all!

In the line up!

Chain piling. ..told you this thing does it all!  Nothing like being a little hard on the tranny! 

Edited November 7, 2018 by WHX21
Add pics

[squonk 41,051]

Out very own @chris sutton is in 2 pics in the over the pond article. Well done chris! 

[Pullstart 62,831]

On 11/6/2018 at 8:44 PM, WHX21 said:

You mow at night you might be a good prospect for that TX chapter Ollie... practice on dismantling the wife's car and a crash course from pullstart on loading techniques and ya might earn yer colors! 

OK nuff ....some more pics of the honoree...

 

 

Hook em up! Gettin a little squirrely .... this thing does it all!

In the line up!

Chain piling. ..told you this thing does it all!  Nothing like being a little hard on the tranny! 

 

Chain piling?  Videos?

[953 nut 55,157]

8 hours ago, pullstart said:

Chain piling?

I hope @WHX21 or one of the other GTM Members will post it, it is a riot! You stretch out a long chain, attach one end to your hitch and then go forward and back moving your line over an inch each time making progressively shorter passes until the chain is neatly stacked in short rows next to each other.   Hope I described it properly.

[Achto 27,562]

1 hour ago, 953 nut said:

Hope I described it properly.

 

Pretty much spot on Richard. We're don't really look for a nice neat pile though. We start with a 30' chain & each contestant is given 2min to make as small of a pile as they can by pulling it forwards & backwards to fold it up. Hydro's definitely have the upper hand in this game, but it can be won with a gear jammer.

 

 

Edited November 9, 2018 by Achto

[Achto 27,562]

9 hours ago, pullstart said:

Chain piling?  Videos?

 

Here's a video of me tearing it up with my 1076

Edited November 9, 2018 by Achto

[Pullstart 62,831]

45 minutes ago, Achto said:

 

Here's a video of me tearing it up with my 1076

 

Shorts and flip flops?  Don’t you know it’s 33 and snowing!!!

 

looks like a job for an automatic, eh?

[WHX?? 48,813]

1 hour ago, pullstart said:

looks like a job for an automatic, eh?

Yup...unless your fond of gear grinding and front end lift offs. Gotta be really quick with the clutch/shifter!

[WHNJ701 4,165]

21 hours ago, pullstart said:

 

Chain piling?  Videos?

I never heard of it, I thought is like tug o war

[wallfish 16,994]

Never saw that before either.

That's something we could do at the big show!

Is it $5 a man and winner take all?

[Achto 27,562]

3 minutes ago, wallfish said:

Is it $5 a man and winner take all?

 

It does get played that way some times.